Improvement in lumber-registers



F. McMANUS.

Lumber Register.

No. 55,327. Patented June 5,1866..

mfiwsses UNIT D STATES PATENT Orrierx FRANCIS MGMANUS, OF ELLENBURGCENTRE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN LUMBER-REGISTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 55,327, dated June 5,1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS MGMANUS, of Ellenburg Centre, in the countyof Clinton and State of New York, have invented a new and ImprovedLumber-Register; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilledin the art to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in whichFigure 1 represents a face view of this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan ortop view of the registering mechanism when the dial-plate is removed.Fig.3 is an inverted plan of the same when the bottom of the case hasbeen removed. Fig. 4. is a vertical central section of the same. Fig. 5is a bottom View of the registering mechanism when the barrel and spiralspring are removed. Fig. 6 is an inside or top view of the barrel.

Similar letters indicate like parts.

The object of this invention is a simple, cheap, and compact device,which is so arranged that by pulling a cord a number of index-hands aresetin motion, which by sweepin g over suitable registering-dials,indicate the number of feet for which the cord has been drawn, said cordbeing so applied that it is carried back, each time it is drawnout toits original position, by the action of a spiral spring. By applying thecord repeatedly the length, width, or number of superficial feet of acertain number of boards or of other articles can be ascertained withease and facility.

A represents a case made of sheet-brass or other suitable material, andprovided with a transparent top, B, and solid opaque bottom 0, both ofwhich are so arranged that they can be removed in order to get access tothe interior. Under the transparent top is a dialplate, D, which isprovided with five (more or less) dials, a b c d 6, each marked withfigures from 1 to 10, and on these dials move the index-hands'ab 0 cl 0.Theindex-hand a is intended to show the units, and it is mounted on thecentral axis, a which has its bearings at one end in the dial-plate andat the other in a square socket or step, f, secured to the bottom of thecase A. A pinion, g, mounted on the central axis, a gears in a smallcog-wheel, g, which meshes into a cog- Wheel, h, on the axis b of thesecond dial, b,

the pinion g and cog-wheel I) being so proportioned that the axis a hasto make ten revolutions to produce one revolution of the axis b From theaxis 6 the motion is trans mitted to the axis 0 by pinion t andcogwheels t" j, and in the same manner the motion from theaxis c istransmitted to the axis (Z and thence to the axis 0 by suitable pinionsand cog-wheels, the motion of each subsequent axis being so regulatedthat the same makes one revolution to each ten revolutions of theprevious axis. If the index on the axis a indicates units, therefore theindex on the axis b will indicate tens, that on the axis 0 hundreds,that on the axis (P thousands, and that on the axis 6 ten thousands, andit is obvious that the number of dials can be still further i11- creasedif desired.

The bearings of the axes b c d e are at one end in the dial-plate D, andat the opposite end in horizontal division-plate D, which connects withthe dial-plate by studs k and screws 7c. The axis (6 passes freelythrough this division-plate, and it bears a ratchetwheel, l, which ismounted on it below the plate D, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4:. A cord, m,which winds on a barrel, n, and the end of which extends through asuitable slot in the case A, serves to impart motion to theratchetwheel, and through it to the entire registering mechanism. Thebarrel n turns loosely on the axis a and it is provided with a pawl, a,which catches into the teeth of the ratchetwheel, so that by pulling thecord whereby the barrel is turned in the direction of the arrow markedthereon in Fig. 3 the ratchet-wheel is compelled to turn with saidbarrel, but astoppawl, n which is secured to the division-plate D,prevents the ratchet-wheel from turning back. The barrel a, after havingbeen rotated by pulling the cord, is carried back to its originalposition by the action of a spiral spring, 0, the outer end of which isconnected to said barrel,whereas its innerend is fastened to a cap, 19,that fits over the stationary socket or stop f, as clearly shown in Fig.4. By this stop the cap is prevented from turning, and if the cord ispulled and the barrel rotates in the direc tion of the arrow marked onit in Fig. 3 the spring is wound up. On releasing the cord the springunwinds and carries the barrel back, thereby taking in the cord. Whilethe barrel is going back the pawl n glides over the teeth of theratchet-Wheel, which, being prevented from turning backward by the pawln remains stationary.

The barrel n is so arranged that by pulling the cord ten inches thefirst index will turn round once, and the figures on the dials are soregulated that they show the number of superficial feet in a board orpile of boards; but it is obvious that said figures can be arranged inany other desirable" manner for other articles besides lumber, and theproportion of the disks may be changed to suit circumstances.

I do not wish to confine myself, therefore, to any particular number ofdials, neither do I confine myself to any particular proportion of thesame, but reserve the right to change F. MGMANUS.

Witnesses:

I. R. CARPENTER, RUssELL HUTOHINS.

